The Hard Shoulder

Episod

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  U2 surprise concert in Dublin 25.09.2026 12min

  Newstalk reporter Henry McKean reports from Grafton Street as U2 perform a surprise gig after Mount Temple concert.
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  Survivor of conflict-related sexual violence 25.09.2026 11min

  Alisa Kovalenko a former captive and survivor of conflict-related sexual violence during her captivity in 2014 in the Donbas region of Ukraine, who also fought on the front lines in the conflict joined Ciara on the show. Alisa is in Dublin in collaboration with the Irish Consortium on Gender Based Violence - an Irish-based alliance of international humanitarian and human rights organisations, working alongside Irish Aid and the Irish Defence Forces.  
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  Orange Order granted permission for Drumcree parade 25.09.2026 13min

  The Parades Commission of Northern Ireland has allowed the Orange Order parade at Drumcree to proceed in a limited capacity for the first time in 28 years. DUP MP Carla Lockhart and Eoin Tennyson, Deputy Leader of the Alliance party joined Shane on the show to discuss.
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  Stop the game rally 25.09.2026 8min

  A rally is taking place tonight ahead of Ireland’s UEFA Nations League fixtures against Israel, with organisers calling on Irish players not to play the matches. The event is being organised by SIPTU and Trade Union Friends of Palestine.Mick Lynch, trade unionist and former General Secretary of the UK’s National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, who will be speaking at tonight’s rally joined Shane on the show.
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  The problems with access to acne medication 25.09.2026 8min

   I find it depressing when I hear teenage acne stories from Ireland today about how long it takes to see a consultant dermatologist and how extortionate is if you go for private care. So writes, Mary McCarthy, columnist with the Irish Independent who joined us on the show to discuss. 
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  Orange Order’s Drumcree parade to return 25.09.2026 14min

  The Orange Order’s Drumcree parade is to be permitted to proceed along the Garvaghy Road for the first time in almost 30 years. The Parades Commission placed a number of restrictions on the procession, including an 8am start time and limiting the number of participants to 35 people.  Alison Morris, Crime Correspondent with the Belfast Telegraph and Claire Hanna, Leader of the SDLP & MP for Belfast South and Mid-Down joined Ciara on the show to discuss.
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  Eir to shut down its 3G network 25.09.2026 8min

   From October 1st, Eir will begin to turn off the 3G network it operates around the country. Donegal is first on the list, with the rest of the country following, and it plans to have the entire process completed within weeks. Irish Times Technology Correspondent Ciara O’Brien joined Shane Coleman on the show to discuss.
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  Should we be showing more patience to learner drivers? 25.09.2026 8min

  A new survey from Halfords has found that 82% of learner drivers have experienced road rage directed at them in the last year. The survey also found that almost half of all drivers surveyed have experienced dangerous tailgating. Brenda Bolger, a driving instructor with Bolger’s Driving School joined us on the show to discuss.
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  Movies and TV: Youth, Avengers Endgame Encore, Heart of the Beast 24.09.2026 13min

  Sarina Bellissimo, Broadcaster and Presenter of the Bellissimo Files Podcast and Andy McCarroll, host of the ‘Xtravision’ podcast joined Ciara and Shane to review the latest TV and movie releases…
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  Mark Little on his new book ‘The Last Good Day on the Internet’ 24.09.2026 11min

  Do you remember when the internet felt like a shared playground? Back when strangers around the world connected over the colour of a dress? An age before toxic algorithms…Well, joining Ciara is Entrepreneur and Journalist Mark Little, who in his new book ‘The Last Good Day on the Internet’ explores a time when the web was a place of community, curiosity and potential. Until it wasn't...
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  What do you want to see from Budget 2027? 24.09.2026 7min

  Help with the cost of energy and home heating is the top priority for voters in next month’s budget. Pat Leahy, Political Editor of The Irish Times joins Shane to discuss the Irish Times poll revealing what voters want to see in Budget 2027.
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  The important role sport plays in inclusion 24.09.2026 9min

  All day today, as part of Newstalk's ‘One Day, Many Voices’ series, we’ve been hearing from people across our communities and talking about identity, accessibility, belonging and inclusion.And when it comes to inclusion, sport can play a huge role.Navan O’Mahony’s is home to the only adult Peil for All team in Meath, giving adults with intellectual and physical disabilities the opportunity to play football, be part of a team and, importantly, be part of their local GAA community.Joining Ciara to discuss is Kate O’Neill, the club’s Adult Team Coordinator.
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  Simon Vigar on his book ‘The Four Wives of Windsor’! 23.09.2026 13min

  Simon Vigar, one of British television’s longest-serving Royal Correspondents joins Ciara to discuss his new book ‘The Four Wives of Windsor: Rivalries, Influence and the Real Power Behind the Crown’.
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  How is France dealing with their own fuel crisis? 23.09.2026 5min

  France has rushed out emergency meas­ures to tackle a loom­ing fuel crisis, with diesel prices at record highs and forecourts run­ning dry.The cash-strapped French gov­ern­ment announced €450 million of handouts and subsidies to house­holds and busi­nesses to deal with what Roland Les­cure, the Fin­ance Min­is­ter, called “a very dif­fi­cult and unwanted situ­ation”.Joining Ciara to discuss this further is Journalist based in Paris, John Lichfield.
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  The Traitors Ireland runners-up discuss the finale! 23.09.2026 9min

  Spoilers ahead for the finale of The Traitors Ireland season two!Ciara is joined by the two runner-ups and final traitors of this season, Carla and Pauric, to discuss the result and their experience on the show!
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  Tech Takeover: CHI Emergency Department in Tallaght to temporarily close - why? 23.09.2026 12min

  For this week’s Tech Takeover, Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, joins Ciara to discuss why a technology upgrade is causing the children’s emergency department in Tallaght Hospital to close for four days.
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  Sport with John Duggan: Hallgrímsson comments on Israel controversy 23.09.2026 6min

  Off The Ball’s John Duggan joined Ciara on The Hard Shoulder to review the week in sport and look ahead to the week’s action…
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  Is TikTok doing enough to remove dangerous driving content? 23.09.2026 11min

  TikTok has told the Oireachtas Media committee that it removed 1,600 dangerous driving videos in the wake of the M9 crash.Joining Ciara to discuss is Chair of the Media Committee and Labour Party TD, Alan Kelly.
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  Why are some voices more attractive than others? 23.09.2026 8min

  New research from Durham University has found that women tend to prefer men with a moderate-pitched voice of around 95Hz, with voices similar to the former President Barack Obama, or actors such as Gerard Butler and Jason Momoa are said to hit the so-called “sweet spot” when it comes to attractiveness.But, what is it about the way we speak that makes one accent more appealing than another?Joining Ciara to discuss is Dr Stephen Lucek, Assistant Professor in Linguistics at UCD.
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  Child trafficking under-identified according to IHREC - why? 23.09.2026 9min

  Child trafficking remains significantly under-identified in Ireland, with the number of children formally identified as victims remaining extremely low, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has warned.Joining Ciara to discuss this is Liam Herrick, Chief Commissioner of the the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.